Obituary of Dr M. Anantaswamy Rau

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Dr M Anantaswamy Rau(15 August 1916-6 June 2012), noted botanist passed away on Wednesday, 6th June 2012, at his residence in Lakshmipuram. He was 96 years old. His wife predeceased him in 2007. He is survived by two sons and a daughter and their families.

Dr M. A. Rau was the Deputy Director of the Botanical Survey of India in Dehra Dun. He retired in 1974 and moved to Mysore where he continued to work as a retired UGC professor at Manasagangotri. He has written two books on the Western Himalayan Flora and has many papers on Botany to his credit. He was the first person to establish a tissue culture laboratory in Bangalore in 1954.

Dr Rau was also the first secretary of the Mysore Gymkhana. He was elected member of the First All India Panel of Cricket Umpires of BCCI. He had umpired many Ranji Trophy matches between 1946 and 1956.